SRINAGAR: The newly created Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir may turn into a political battlefront in Jammu and Kashmir as all major political parties in the Union Territory want to contest from the seat and INDIA bloc parties are not willing to spare the seat for one another.
After abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of erstwhile J&K state into two UTs, there are five LS seats in the UT. Of them, two seats are in Jammu region while two (Srinagar and Baramulla seats) are in Valley and Anantnag-Rajouri seat connects south Kashmir’s Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam with the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
With the INDIA bloc parties set to contest the LS polls, the Anantnag-Rajouri seat is emerging as a bone of contention during alliance talks among NC, PDP and Congress. All three parties are eyeing Anantnag-Rajouri seat as each of the party has a good support base in the areas falling in LS constituency.
Sources said that during negotiations, NC has been reluctant to leave the seat while PDP and Congress don’t want to give up their claim. The NC has a solid reason to claim the seat with party’s vice president and former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah pitching that parties should retain the seats they won in 2019 polls. The PDP, which has its support base in south Kashmir, is keen for party chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti to contest Anantnag-Rajouri seat to send a message that despite desertions the party is a force to reckon with and its support base is intact.
Keenly watched
Congress is also keen to contest from Anantnag-Rajouri seat along with two LS seats from Jammu region saying that the party has good presence and support base in Anantnag, Kulgam, Rajouri and Poonch districts. Even the J&K BJP chief Ravindra Raina is keen to contest from the seat.